Have you heard the saying, “The money is in the list?” They are referring to a mailing list. If you are an online marketer it is important to have an email list. AND if you are a serious blogger you are an online marketer. Even if you are just trying to get more traffic and views you are marketing yourself, your writing, and your site.
What exactly is an email list?
An email list is different than your RSS feed email. Bloggers often give readers the option to “subscribe through email.” When the reader enters their email address they get each new post delivered straight to their inbox. A mailing list is different; it is often used for newsletters and special updates. The content of the mailing list should not repeat any of the content on the blog. You can point out that you have some great new posts up, but don’t just copy your posts into the newsletter. The people that join your mailing list are giving you permission to contact them personally through email. It is a valuable connection that should be nurtured and protected. It’s not hard to hit “unsubscribe” so make sure you give them good content.
How do I start a mailing list?
First you need to use a service to manage the email list for you. I use WAHMCart.com for my shopping cart and list needs; however they do have a monthly fee. MailChimp has a great reputation and they let you use the service for free up to 2,000 subscribers. By the time you have 2,000 subscribers you should be able to make enough money to cover their monthly fee. There are many other services available such as Mad Mimi and Aweber so you can do some research and find what works best for you.
Whichever service you pick will give you the code to place on your site. Now you need an incentive or thank you gift to encourage people to sign up. Many people use free ebooks as incentives. Other ideas are special discounts for your services, an ecourse, an inside look – anything that you think your readers would be interested in. On my business site Scenes and Cinema I offer a list of 155 sites that you can upload video to.
Go ahead and pick a service and get your incentive lined up. Stay subscribed to this site to find out ways to grow your mailing list.
Learn step by step how to Start a Mailing List in this October Free Webinar.
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